Europa Universalis, the domination game from Ubi Soft, was well received by Europe's hardcore strategy population. And just a year on from the 2001 original, Ubi Soft release the strategy-heavy, highly anticipated sequel, the cunningly-titled Europa Universalis 2.Like its predecessor, Europa Universalis 2 (EU2) focuses on tactical battles in a player's quest for world domination. But unlike so many other games if this type, EU2 doesn't employ a powerful graphics card to do all the onscreen action. This is more of a game of wits and mathematics. To put it simply, using maps and numbers, you must look at the opposition's statistics, assess your own, and make the decision to conquer or flee.In addition to the features of the original Europa Universalis, there are now more than 180 countries to conquer, not to mention an additional 120 provinces. And where EU only had several non-European countries, EU2 boasts many, including huge territories such as China and Great Zimbabwe.But the most noticeable and welcome improvement for EU2 lies in the heat of the gameplay. Players now have more control than ever. You can you make the final decision on centralised governments and trade laws, and even decide whether or not to adopt conservative or radical policies within your ever-growing empire.Sure, in essence it's more of the same. But the new features and in-depth gameplay just make the experience so much more challenging and compelling. Hardcore strategists, buy this.